Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Adorable big-screen Pooh adaptation is short and sweet.
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Winnie the Pooh
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 55 parent reviews
What's the Story?
Winnie the Pooh (voiced by Jim Cummings) loves his honey, but he can't seem to find any in the Hundred Acre Wood. On his search for the sugary treat, he encounters his mopey donkey friend Eeyore (Bud Luckey), who has somehow lost his tail. Pooh and his pals -- Piglet (Travis Oates), Owl (Craig Ferguson), Kanga (Kristen Anderson-Lopez) and Roo (Wyatt Dean Hall), and Rabbit (Tom Kenny) -- hold a contest to find Eeyore another tail, but there doesn't seem to be a suitable replacement. One morning, Christopher Robin leaves a note saying "Gon out. Bizy. Back Son," which know-it-all Owl presumes means that some creature called a "Backson" has somehow kidnapped Christopher Robin. That leads the animal friends to another collaborative effort to search for and save their human buddy -- but of course they're the ones who end up needing rescuing.
Is It Any Good?
With its old-fashioned animation and easy-to-follow story lines, WINNIE THE POOH is one of those rare children's movies that's both simple and sweet. Like the beloved books on which the animated characters are based, there's no artifice or trendy references, just funny jokes (behold the comeback of the "Who's on First" routine), cheery musical numbers, and the occasional wink-wink to parents in the audience (who will laugh more than they ever thought possible in a Pooh flick).
Although the movie is really two intertwined vignettes (the pals search for Eeyore's tail and then try to trap the enigmatic Backson), at barely over an hour, there's no time for the plot to lag or bore even kids who can't read. That said, literate children will get an extra bonus of seeing how the characters form objects and words with the letters on screen, and adults will enjoy John Cleese's narrator, who talks directly to the enchanted animals. The Pooh is back, and thanks to sticking closely to A. A. Milne's roots, Disney has a winning little film for kids who love the fluff-stuffed bear.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way the characters interact with the narrator and the words on the screen. How is this similar to the way the original books worked? Is it ever confusing?
Talk about personalities. All the animals have different personalities -- can you describe them? Do you know any people with similar characteristics?
Kids: Which character do you identify with the most? When you feel sad like Eeyore, what do you do?
How does this movie compare to other Pooh films and TV shows? Which do you like best, and why?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 15, 2011
- On DVD or streaming: October 25, 2011
- Cast: Craig Ferguson , Jim Cummings , John Cleese , Tom Kenny
- Director: Stephen J. Anderson
- Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Book Characters , Friendship , Wild Animals
- Run time: 69 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- Last updated: February 19, 2023
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